Watch Out for Yourself!
The Art of Self Defense
Written & Photography by Cyd Hoefle
Billings, MT
For many rural Montana women, guns, whether they be shotguns, rifles, or pistols, are part of their lives. But in today’s changing world, a dozen Sweet Grass County women decided brushing up on gun safety and self-defense may be a good idea.
Martha Sargent lives on a ranch 40 miles from Big Timber and strong self-defense knowledge was a concern she’d been thinking about, not only for herself, but for her daughter and daughter-in-law along with their friends.
“The world is changing,” Martha said. “There was a time when no one locked their homes or vehicles, but that’s not the case anymore. I worry about these young women and young moms driving across rural Montana where cell phones only work about half the time. They need to know how to defend themselves.”
Andrew Lauckner owns and operates Fire Dragon Tactical Shooting and has been handling guns his entire life, not only hunting, but also shooting competitively. In fact, he qualified for the Junior Olympic team when he was 14. He is a United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) instructor and offers classes on handling guns and self-defense. When Martha gathered a group of friends to take a class, Andrew was happy to accommodate.
“I’m often asked as a defense instructor, ‘how do I win the fight?’ My answer is always the same. ‘Don’t be present for one.”
One attendee, Kelsey Fraser, was raised on a ranch near Miles City, and learned to shoot for both recreation and hunting. She’s had a concealed weapon permit for years and said she’s comfortable handling a pistol, carries one in her car, and has one in her home. She took the class, though, to learn how to be more proficient with her pistol and to protect herself physically.
“We live in such crazy times,” she said. “I feel like I need to be able to protect myself, whether its walking to my car from the gym or the grocery store or being stuck out in the middle of nowhere.”
Kelsey recounted a much-dreaded flat tire on her pickup not long ago on a two-lane highway, miles from home without cell service. She counted over 30 passing vehicles as she changed the tire herself.
“I thought about how times have changed. Not too long ago, someone would have pulled over and offered me help. Now days, they don’t,” she said. “At the same time, I was also nervous about someone actually pulling over when I had a disabled vehicle. I have to know how to protect myself.”
After practicing gun safety and studying scenarios which may necessitate self-defense with a firearm, Andrew demonstrated multiple ways to physically defend one’s self from an attack.
“I’m often asked as a defense instructor, ‘how do I win the fight?’ My answer is always the same. ‘Don’t be present for one,’” he said.
In other words, remain aware of surroundings, lock vehicles and homes, don’t open the door without knowing who’s on the other side, and be constantly on the alert.
“Cell phones can be incredibly distracting,” he said. “Don’t walk out of a store and start texting. Take note of where you are and who’s around you. Have your keys in your hand, don’t dig in your purse for your keys while you’re trying to balance a kid or a bag of groceries.”
Another potential conflict avoidance tool is that of communication – protection doesn’t always come from weapons.
“You can sometimes disarm a stalker by demanding he step back, or by telling him you will call the cops,” Andrew said. “Don’t be afraid to speak loudly and firmly.”
He demonstrated the role barriers and obstacles play in creating distance from a potential attacker.
“To gain crucial seconds, put as much space and objects as possible between you and your subject of attack. Whether it be lateral movement off the line of attack, or physical objects impeding their direct pursuit, give yourself the advantage in every situation,” he said.
In an escalating situation, if communication or avoidance fail, Andrew boiled down the decision to respond to an attacker with one question.
“What would you be willing to jump into a shark tank to save? Your home? Your belongings? Probably not. Your kids? Your family? Remember, possessions are not worth dying over. Let them go.”
That resonated with Dava Stenberg, a ranch woman from Big Timber.
“I could separate myself from everything but my kids, my family and myself,” she said. “That makes it an easy decision.”
After attending the full day class, the women qualified to receive a concealed carry training certificate; though most agreed the most valuable lessons were the hand-to-hand combat and a better understanding of how to respond if they were indeed attacked.
“I hope I don’t ever have to defend my family or myself, but rest assured, the attacker would be up against a grizzly bear of a woman,” Martha concluded.
This lead perfectly into Andrew’s final advice, a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far!”